Hello!
Next weekend I will try to get two friends to learn how to swim freestyle. I have been swimming for 25 years and have never faced the challenge to teach freestyle to total beginners.
Where to start? What drills works best?
Very greatful for all tips you might have!
cheers!
/Per
One of the local teams in our area has great success in teaching freestyle by starting with kicking on the side. Breathing is easy when you are on your side. They then progress to 6, 8 or 12 kicks on one side and switch to the other side. The swimmers learn to breathe on both sides without really thinking about it. As you reduce the number of kicks before changing sides, it becomes more and more like swimming freeestyle. The instructors get in the water and help the swimmer get in the correct position.
Be sure to post on your lessons go.
Hello!
Next weekend I will try to get two friends to learn how to swim freestyle. I have been swimming for 25 years and have never faced the challenge to teach freestyle to total beginners.
Where to start? What drills works best?
Very greatful for all tips you might have!
cheers!
/Per
Start from what they can do naturally with as little explanations as possible, then go from there.
The key is for you to get in the water and demonstrate. We are monkeys, we learn a lot by imitation.
Chances are that you will rapidly need to help them breathe, or finding a suitable breathing position. For this, flutter kick on the side, 1 arm up the other along side the body is good I find.
One of the local teams in our area has great success in teaching freestyle by starting with kicking on the side. Breathing is easy when you are on your side. A little trick. Often newbies don't find it *that* easy to find this breathing position. They sometimes feel they sink.
In this case, just tell them to almost flip on the back (first) then gradually adopt a side-ish position:
YouTube - Free Style Side Kick
Then as you mention, you can alternate between side, and front position using one arm:
YouTube - Free Style Side Kicking to 1 Arm Drill
Some like to use the flip drill to teach how to rotate. Personally I don't use it on a regular basis, but this may help:
YouTube - Free Style Flip Drill
An other tip, practice these drills yourself before attempting to teach them (just in case).
Where to start?
Ask them, "What are your swimming goals & expectations?"
Show them videos of the best swimmers in the world.
Have them swim a 25 free, look for mistakes.
Have them swim a 25 free fast for time.
Make a list of their mistakes & correct them one by one, starting with the most significant ones first.
Keep your instructions simple and clear.
Give them one or 2 things to concentrate on at once
Don't tell them what they are doing wrong.
Tell them what you want them to do &
what you want them to think about.
Correct a few mistakes then have them swim another 25 fast for time.
Corrections should make them swim faster.
Hello!
Next weekend I will try to get two friends to learn how to swim freestyle. I have been swimming for 25 years and have never faced the challenge to teach freestyle to total beginners.
Where to start? What drills works best?
Very greatful for all tips you might have!
cheers!
/Per
These two have never done freestyle, or never done swimming? Makes a difference if they are comfortable in the water (ie. good body position while floating) doing elementary backstroke or breaststroke. Compared to a landlubber who won't want to put their face in the water.
